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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Trump Holds Michigan Rally Amid Book Revelations, Faltering Poll Numbers

President Donald Trump held a rally at an airport hangar in Freeland, Michigan Thursday where he talked about “Sleepy Joe” Biden and continued to spin recent revelations he concealed information about the Covid-19 outbreak in order to help his re-election chances.

(CN) — President Donald Trump held a rally at an airport hangar in Freeland, Michigan Thursday where he talked about “Sleepy Joe” Biden and continued to spin recent revelations he concealed information about the Covid-19 outbreak in order to help his re-election chances. 

The campaign rally was his first in Michigan since mid-December when he spoke to a Battle Creek crowd the day he became the third American president ever impeached. He made a small stop in the state in June on his way to Wisconsin.

Thousands were said to be in attendance and appeared crowded together with little social distancing, but some could be seen wearing masks.

“We brought you a lot of car plants!” the president yelled as he greeted the adoring crowd. “We’re gonna bring you a lot more!”

The president quickly brought up Democratic rival Biden that triggered a chorus of boos.

“Joe Biden will surrender your jobs to China. If Biden wins, China wins,” he repeated several times for effect.

Trump then reminisced about Election Day 2016 when he said he visited Michigan and spoke to supporters at 1 a.m. He asked for the same support in 2020.

“I’m running for reelection to keep jobs in Michigan,” he said to cheers. “If we win, America wins.”

Trump barely won the state in 2016 by more than 10,000 votes, a 0.23% edge over Hillary Clinton.

In an apparent effort to scare voters, Trump circled back to Biden and said his intent was to welcome thousands of refugees to America. At times speaking softly, the president would then yell at the top of his lungs to make his points.

He touted more than 300 miles of border wall built as his supporters chanted “Build that wall!”

Trump continued to attack Biden for his age and implied he was a manipulated prop of the liberal left because he was too senile to have his own agenda.

“He doesn’t know what the hell is going on,” he said to the crowd.

The president said that Biden was so bad during the Democratic debates that when First Lady Melania Trump came into the room, she remarked that his performance made her sad.

Just to make sure the crowd didn’t forget, the president reminded them about the automobile production plants.

“I got you so many damn car plants,” he said, then basked in chants of “four more years” from the audience. 

The president then shifted gears to talk about the Covid-19 pandemic and promised a vaccine would be available soon.

“By the end of the year, we will have a vaccine,” he said. “The fake news doesn’t like how well we are doing.”

Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who said at a press conference earlier in the day that President Trump was the “biggest threat to the American people” was targeted over her actions to shut down the state in the wake of the pandemic.

“Tell your governor to open up your damn state,” he shouted. “It would be better if she knew what the hell she was doing.”

A recent poll of Michigan voters showed that Whitmer’s approval rating rose 15 points since January over her handling of the virus and decisions to close businesses and schools.

Trump lamented that the virus, which he continued to blame China for spreading, ruined the political momentum he had gained.

“We were coming together,” he said. “It really stopped things. We got that terrible situation.”

While the president has said he downplayed the pandemic to project calm, he took the opposite route when he spoke of potential violence in the suburban community if Biden won the election. He then repeated a false claim that the murder rate in Chicago was higher than in Afghanistan because it was run by Democrats.

The President then assailed the previous administration’s efforts to save the auto industry in 2009 and took credit for their success today. He bragged about the end of the North American Free Trade Agreement and mentioned Biden said in an interview on CNN that the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement was better.

Trump repeatedly told the crowd he would be mad at them if he was not reelected, especially running against Biden.

“We did more in 47 months than he did in 47 years.” He gloated. “I’m running against the worst presidential candidate ever.”

On Wednesday night Trump began preparing for his trip by calling out former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder for his role in the Flint water crisis.

The former Republican governor recently wrote an opinion piece for USA Today where he endorsed Joe Biden and urged other Republicans to do the same.

“This Snyder mess was made during the OBiden era - no wonder they’re friends!” The president wrote on Twitter.

Snyder was recently part of a settlement agreement over the water scandal that released him from further responsibility.

Michigan Republican senatorial candidate John James attended the rally and got a shout out from the president who touted him as a rising star.

“You have my total and complete endorsement.”

Joe Biden was in Michigan on Wednesday touting his plans to close tax loopholes and keep more jobs in America. 

Categories / Government, Politics

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